Sam
by charmedgal005
Summary: Neerly ten years after Project Christmas, Irina took the project in her own direction, causing one teen to get caught unaware in the middle of an international scramble to catch her before the unthinkable happens.
1. Default Chapter

**Sam**

**charmedgal005**

**Disclaimer**

_If I owned these Characters (aside from the ones you don't recognize) I probably wouldn't be writing these.  If I owned these characters, you would probably see this story on the show.  Hey!  You know what?  I am writing these and you don't see this story line on the show, therefore, I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS!!!  So don't sue me!_

*          *          *          *          *

Anyone sitting in Mr. Steven's third period British Literature class tried to think of a way to avoid going to class.  Most had been up studying all night long, and then studied through lunch.  Everyone who had taken the class before them had told them that this was the test to worry about, this was the test to stress about, and this was the one test to study for if they were only going to study for one test.  100 of the hardest multiple choice Mr. Steven could think of, followed by 30 short answer, without a word bank as a crutch.  And then the hardest part.  The two essay questions.  Each had to be at least 500 words long.  And they only had an hour and a half to do it all.  If something wasn't done, you prayed it was the multiple choice.  Samantha Daily walked into class silently memorizing the study guide that she had been given.  Her friends behind her, had their books and study guides out.  They didn't see where they were going.  Tripping over several backpacks, Samantha sat down where her desk was.  Or at least where she thought her desk was.  She was about a foot too far to the right, and ended up falling hard on the floor.  It didn't faze her, as she made her way.  No one else in the class room noticed, they were all studying.  

"I should have faked being sick."  Whined Samantha's best friend Jessica.

As the bell rang, Mr. Steven came in and began passing out the tests.   But the bell didn't stop ringing. Instead it changed tones, indicating a code 99.  Samantha's heart raced as she ran to the designated corner to hide.  "Mr. Steven, is this a drill?"  On boy asked.    Mr. Steven opened his mouth to answer him, but as he did, gunshots rang throughout the hall, answering the boy's question.  This code 99 was no drill.  There really was someone armed and firing loose in the building.  The class shut up, and Mr. Steven quickly turned off the lights, and locked the door and ran to hide with the rest of the group.  Several kids took out their cell phones frantically calling their parents, whispering what they thought were their last good byes.  But even their whisperings were too loud, as the gunfire got closer to room 222.

Samantha closed her eyes and said a prayer, for her life, for her friends' lives, for her classmates' lives, for everyone.  The footsteps stopped outside her classroom.  Then the gun fire ceased down a parallel hallway.  "He said 222!  Right?"  A voice yelled.  One of the girls started to cry, and everyone got in a tighter group.  Silently, Mr. Steven got up.  He was willing to sacrifice himself to save his class.

"Yeah!" The another voice called.

"Get Sark over here!  I found it!"  The gunfire picked up again.  Samantha screamed as it was no longer directed in the hallway, but at the locked door.  Her voice was only one in a chorus of screams, as people too frightened to think logically yelled.  The door was kicked open, and three men came charging in.  

"Don't hurt them.  Please.  Don't hurt them.  They're good kids."  Mr. Steven pleaded.

"I'm just looking for one."  A man said, with a British accent.  He made his way for the crowed.  Samantha sad squarely in the middle, too scared to move.  She was hugging her knees, and kept her eyes closed.  When the shots first started to come into the classroom, Samantha had stopped her prayer.  Everything just stopped.  But she had blocked out everything that was happening, and sat there, hugging her knees, rocking as she and her neighbor quietly whispered the Lord's Prayer over and over again.  From her angle, she couldn't see what happened, but knowing Mr. Steven, he got in between the terrified mass, and the armed men.  There was a single shot, and the sound seemed to stop dead, unlike all the other shots.  There was a scream from several students, and then a thud as Mr. Steven fell to the ground landing halfway on the desks.

"Which one of you is Ms. Daily?"  The accented man said.  Samantha didn't hear him looking for her.  Everything was blacked out.  No one said anything.  No one could.  The terror had consumed their entire sprit.  "I said, which one of you is Samantha Daily?"  He spat.  His patience was getting tired.  First there were the security guards.  And then all those bull headed teachers that got in his way.  All he wanted to do was get the one girl.  No one else had to get hurt over one 17 year old girl!  And now these teenagers were too scared to even tell him which one he was looking for.  "Are we at the right school?  This is Hillside High?  Right?  Of course I'm right.  It's all over the walls, and it's even on the lockers.  So I am going to ask you again.  Which one of you is Samantha Daily?"  He grabbed one of the girls from the outside edge by the hair.  "Are you Samantha Daily?"  He asked.  

She started to cry harder, but was able to spat out "N-n-n-n-o.  I-I-I-I'm n-not S-s-sam!"

"Who is?"  He demanded, shoving his gun into her skull. She said nothing.  This time he didn't have the patience.  He pulled the trigger, and much of the class screamed.  In a bloody mess, she fell to the ground.  He reached for another girl, who screamed in both pain and fright as he pulled her up by her hair.  But suddenly he dropped the girl, and signaled for him and his men to leave.  For a last laugh of fun, one of the guys to enter with the British guy fired his last three bullets into the crowd, only injuring two.

"What'd ya do that for?"  One of the said as they left.  "Now you ain't got any bullets for when the cops come!"

To the teacher-less class of room 222 the police took their time to get there.  From the other side of the pod, another teacher, Mrs. Clark made her way to make sure everyone was alright.  Samantha only sat there; praying for her life, for her friends' lives, for her classmates' lives, for everyone.

*          *          *          *          *


	2. PigTails

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney was working on a report when Kendall yelled at her to race her way over to the debriefing room.  That was easier said than done.  It seemed that everyone was huddled around a television that seemed to be strategically placed close to debriefing room.  She glanced up at the monitor as she pushed her way through the small crowd.  But all she saw was helicopter feed of some large building.  There was no authority surrounding it.  The roof was deserted, and it appeared to be empty.  Sydney failed to see what was so important about that building. "What's going on?"  Sydney asked Vaughn as they entered the debriefing room.  The same helicopter footage was showing on the large screen in the room. "They're watching this out there.  What is this building?" Sydney asked her father.

"This is Hillside High School in a suburban town in Montana." Jack answered.  "School shooting, at least three dead.  The SWAT team is still making their way around the school."  

"What does this have to do with us?  Isn't this normally for the FBI?"  Sydney asked, taking a seat around the large table.

"Normally yes.  But we're receiving some of the early teacher interviews after one of the SWAT members picked up the name Sark."

"Sark?"  Sydney asked shocked.

"Why would Sark go shooting in a school?"  Vaughn asked, taking the seat next to Sydney.

"Samantha Daily." Kendall switched slides, and now displayed a happy little three-year-old girl swinging on a swing, with her hair up in pigtails.  "This is the most recent picture we have of her.  This one is very out dated, about 14 years.  But on short notice, this is what we could pull"

"Why does Sark want a teenager?"  Sydney asked, staring into the deep brown eyes of the little girl, who reminded her of herself at that age.

"We don't know.  But they pulled out before they had the girl."  Jack answered.

"But we have a pretty good guess who might." Kendall answered.

"My mother." Sydney simply said.

There was a soft tap at the door, and Will stuck his head through gap.  "Excuse me.  We're getting info from Samantha Daily's classroom.  Two dead, three injured in there.  That brings the current total to 10 injured, 4 dead.  They still have another wing to do down the south hallway.  That's where they started to shoot, before the bell rang.  They are expecting at least 8 more casualties."   Sydney pressed her lips together, and knew what she had to do.  

"Will, could you get me a print out of this picture?"  Sydney asked pointing to the screen.

"Sure."  Will answered before leaving.

"What's that for Sydney?"  Vaughn asked.

"If my mother does know who this Daily girl is, then the picture will help convince her to help us."  

*          *          *          *          *


	3. Jordan Injection Process

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney walked down the hall, ducking to avoid the gates as they slowly rose.  She pounded on the glass, and woke her mother up.  "Tell me everything you know about Samantha Daily."  She demanded, holding up an old photo of the three-year-old girl.  Irina woke, and walked cat like to the glass. 

"That's a name that I haven't heard in ages."  Irina admitted.  "I was wondering when she would come back onto the radar screen.

"What do you know about her?  Tell me everything." Sydney demanded.

"That's an old photo of her.  It was one of her mother's favorites.  She's going to be 18 in the spring."

"Cut to the chase.  Why is Sloane and Sark desperately trying to kidnap a kid?"  

"You said you wanted everything.  I was merely giving it to you."

"What is so special about her?  When there is a shooting at a high school, I don't have time to beat around the bush."

"When she was two months old, my organization had developed a new way to store information. We called it the JIP.  Jordan Injection Process, named after the inventor Jordan.  It was injected into a young child, and then on their 18th birthday, the information would be accessible through regression therapy.  I had insisted on using an older child and waiting until they turned 21.  I had you in mind when I thought of that.  If you knew what the plans were at 18, I'm not sure you could have handled it.  But Sam was getting old as it was.  After 4 months, the information comes out in nightmares, and it caused eight year olds to commit suicide because of what they saw only in their dreams, but swore was real.  It drove them mad.  We discovered that before 4 months, they could handle it."

"What happens after they remember the information?"

"I can honestly say I don't know.  No one knows what will happen when they uncover the information.  Sam would be the first to make it to seventeen.  Andrew was our test subject.  We hadn't perfected the process yet.  Christain's body rejected the injection, and he died days later.  Lauren, Samantha's twin also rejected the injection. Kristov, and Steve were the ones that committed suicide so early.  Kristina died of a brain tumor last year.  Mattai made it until he was 16.  But he had the most sensitive information.  He and Sam shared the same information.  But unfortunately, his identity wasn't as sealed as Samantha's and he was killed.  And then there is Jed.  He is a full year younger than Sam. Jordan, Caleb, Cyntha, and Jessica are two years younger.  So Sam is the first to live long enough for the information to be extracted."

"How many-"

"Over 100.  Only 8 made it past 10."

"She won't make it to her birthday which is still three months away if Sark and his goonies keep doing shootings.  You said that Samantha had plans.  What kind of plans?"

"Sam didn't hold necessarily plans.  We called it that.  Samantha holds the key within her for a more perfected spy.  A more advanced Project Christmas.  But we could do this in mass a lot easier, and we thought that it was a guarantee that they would join our forces."

"You say Sam as if you knew her."  Sydney spat.

"I raised Sam until she was seven. Her mother had unfortunately been killed for treason when she attempted to run with Sam and Lauren before the injection.  I was still aching for you at the time.  But as Sam grew, it became very clear that she could not grow up the way that was required of those that had been training with us at that young age.  She didn't have the discipline.  So, with a little brain washing, we created a little family for her in Montana. I am merely Aunt Irina to her."

Sydney didn't know what else to say.  The JIP took Project Christmas in a new and more horrible direction.  Instead of saying anything, she just walked off.  "Did you catch what she said?"  Sydney asked her father and Vaughn.  They had been watching the conversation on video monitors. 

"We got it."  Vaughn answered.

For the first time Sydney could remember, she didn't know what to do.  They had never dealt with a teenager who could possibly be a terrorist and didn't know it.  Normally they would apprehend the suspect, but Samantha was only 17.  Quietly, she asked, "Now what do we do?"  

*          *          *          *          *


	4. Waisting Away

*          *          *          *          *

Samantha hid in her room for days.  She didn't have any reason to come out.  School was obviously closed for several weeks.  After her friends told her that Caitlin was killed because she wasn't who they were looking for, Samantha cried.  But when she found out that she was the one that they were after Samantha locked herself in her bedroom, coming out only to go to the bathroom. 

"Sam?"  Her mother lightly tapped on her door. "Samantha honey, I have your lunch."  She opened the door, and found Samantha lying on the bed, face to the wall, scrunched up in the fetal position.

"I'm not hungry.  Just leave it on my desk."  Samantha answered.

Karen Daily took the tray and walked over to Samantha's desk.  She would have done as Samantha had asked, but her desk was already covered with trays from the previous days, all untouched.  "Honey, you have to eat something.  You haven't eaten in days."

"I'm not hungry."

"That's it.  I've had enough of this.  You are getting out of bed.  You are going to eat some of this soup, and then you're going to take a shower."  Karen ordered.

Samantha didn't say anything.  Instead, she just rolled over and hit the playback on her answering machine.   Karen stood in shock as she listened to three messages.

"Samantha, you are a f*ck*ing b*tch.  You can't even stand up for yourself.  Seven people died!  Don't ever show your face at school again, or I will make sure that you will be added to the dead."

"Rot in h*ll whore!"

"Sam.  They were looking for you.  And now I'm going to find you.  You are going to die!"

Karen had had enough.  She could tell that there were more messages like that.  But she couldn't listen to any more.  She couldn't have Samantha listen to any more.  She quickly rushed over and hit the delete all key.  With a final bleep, the messages became no more.  "You can't listen to them Sammy."  Karen said, taking her quaking daughter into her arms.  Tears cascaded down from Samantha's eyes.  Karen attempted to wipe them away.  "It's not your fault."

"Yes it is!"  Samantha protested.  "Caitlin would still be alive if it weren't for me.  If I hadn't been so scared, she wouldn't have been singled out."

"You can't blame yourself.  Everyone was scared honey."

"No. Mr. Stevens was brave.  Caitlin was brave, and she had a gun shoved into her brains.  Why can't I be brave like them?"

"Honey.  Some people are born to be brave.  And some people get brave when they are faced with the unimaginable.  And others become brave after the fact."

"And I'm none of the three."

"I bet you are one of those people that are brave after the unimaginable."

"What good does that do me?"  Samantha swallowed a lump in her throat.  "What if they come after me again?"  She whispered quietly.

"Do you really think that the new neighbors across the street just happen to work at a cable company, and bring the truck home every night?  Those are cops, watching you to make sure that they don't come back."

For the first time that day, Samantha got off her bed, walked to the window, and looked at the truck across the street.  "Are they watching now?"

"They don't take their eyes off the house."

Sam didn't say another word.  Feeling only slightly, she retreated back to her bed, and curled up.  Karen left, knowing that some things take time.

*          *          *          *          *


	5. One Hour

*          *          *          *          *

"You and me.  Sushi.  Tonight." Vaughn said, leaning on Sydney's desk.

"I don't feel like sushi.  How about some Italian?"  She suggested, pausing her work to look up at her boyfriend.

"We went for Italian last week.  Besides, I already got sushi reservations."

"I can live with sushi."

"Good.  Because we're going tonight."

"Vaughn!  Bristow!"  Kendall called from the debriefing room.  Sydney and Vaughn looked up and knew what was coming next.  "Get in here!"  They looked at each other and sighed.  Vaughn helped Sydney up, and they walked into the debriefing room.  "Nice of you to join us."  Kendall said, as Sydney and Vaughn took the two remaining seats.  Everyone else had been there for a while.  Without a second to spare, Kendall jumped right into his presentation.  "The local police station in Hillside has been keeping close tabs on Samantha Daily's house."  He showed a picture of a modest sized split-level house. 

"Daily?  The girl from the school shooting?"  Dixon checked.

"She was the one that Sark was apparently looking for."  Jack answered.

Sydney flipped absentmindedly through the folder placed in front of her.  "Has Sark made any attempts at capturing her, or killing her?"

"No.  However, Daily has been getting threatening phone calls from students at the school.  We do, however, believe that Daily is still in immediate danger."  Kendall said.

"Agents Bristow, Vaughn, Dixon and Weiss you are on this case." Jack ordered.

Sydney smiled as she listened to the group she was to be working with.  Vaughn leaned over to whisper to Sydney.  "Not a bad group." 

"No.  Bet Dixon is going to be here, and Weiss will be on surveillance."

"Leaving you and me."  Vaughn replied.  The grin on his face could be heard in his voice.

"You are to approach Daily and attempt to get her into our protective custody.  There is a safe house in Hillside, get Samantha Daily there, and keep watch for a while."

"What about her parents?"  Weiss asked.

"Karen Daily, a.k.a. Abigail  Derevko.  Jeff Daily, a.k.a. Vicktor Derevko.  Vicktor is Irina Derevko's brother.  Together, Abigail and Vicktor Derevko are responsible for the death of over 30 agents in the 17th Street towers almost 16 years ago.  Your objective with them will be to get them into our custody for questioning."

"Won't that be mentally straining on Samantha?  I mean taking her parents away from her, putting her in an unfamiliar setting after such a traumatizing event?"  Sydney inquired.

Jack and Kendall had no reply.  Instead he closed his notebook and looked sternly at the agents before him.  "Your plane leaves in an hour."

"But…"

"I suggest you get moving.  Your plane leaves in an hour."  

Sydney sighed and looked over at Vaughn.  "I guess Sushi will have to wait."

"I'll cancel the reservation."  Vaughn agreed before they left the room.

*          *          *          *          *


	6. A Deer in Headlights

*          *          *          *          *

Half a block away from Samantha Daily's house, Sydney and Vaughn jumped out of the roofing repair truck.  Weiss shut the door; all three of them turned on their com links and checked to see if they worked.  "Dixon, can you hear me?"  Sydney checked.

"Loud and clear Syd."  Dixon answered.

"How about me?"  Vaughn asked.

"Crystal clear."  Dixon said.

"Someone remind me again why we're treating this with such high technology?  I mean, I'm sitting in this fricken van watching your every move.  All you are doing is talking to the girl."  Weiss begged.  "You guys do realize that the truck two houses down is doing the same thing?"

"I'm talking to the girl."  Sydney answered.

"And I get to try to secretly arrest her parents."

"I get to make sure everything is ok.  But can't do a thing about it if everything goes wrong."  Dixon responded.

"And I get to sit in this van eating everyone's lunch."  Weiss said, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Just to warn you, I ordered extra pickles on my sandwich."  Sydney warned.

Weiss looked over at Sydney's sandwich.  "Why is it that you are the only one that got yummy turkey, but ordered pickles!  I hate pickles."

"Because you hate pickles."  

"Ok guys. It looks like Samantha is in her bedroom.  Mr. Daily is in the living room, on your right.  And Mrs. Daily is, hold on, she's not showing up on any of our scanners."  Weiss said.

"Switch to infrared." Dixon advised.

"Mrs. Daily is in the kitchen. Couldn't see her.  The kitchen is kinda behind a thick stone fireplace."

"Shouldn't we refer to them as Mr. and Mrs. Derevko?"  Dixon asked.

"That would require me recognizing them as my aunt and uncle.  I'd rather stick with the Daily for as long as possible."

"Gotcha Syd." Weiss said understanding.  "Hey listen, Mike, man, if they give you something to eat or something, I am so snagging your sandwich."

"Go ahead and take half. I'm not hungry anyway."

"Thanks.  Don't know why I always buy a small sandwich.  I could eat a large sandwich right now."

"You knew that you would save money by getting the small sandwich, and then taking ours while we were working."

"Oh yeah.  That's right."

Vaughn and Sydney paused momentarily before knocking at the door.  They looked at each other as an extra boost of confidence before the door opened.  "Stop looking at her like you're about to jump her Vaughn.  You guys are on a mission."  Weiss joked.

"I can hear you."  Sydney hissed.

"You want to jump him too, admit it."

Sydney didn't have time to retaliate, for right as Weiss stopped talking, the door swung open. Mr. Daily stood there, looking directly at Sydney.  He spoke very quietly to her, ignoring Vaughn's presence completely.  "I was wondering when my sister would send you over here." He said.  Sydney froze.  The enemy had recognized her.

*          *          *          *          *


	7. Cold

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney didn't know what to say to Mr. Derevko.  The last thing she had expected was that he was expecting them, and mentioning his sister.  Sydney looked up at the man.  He was her uncle, and he looked as normal as the man that lives next door to anyone.  In her family, people weren't normal. After a long and awkward pause, Vaughn gently nudged Sydney to get her to talk. "You were expecting us?"  Sydney finally stuttered.

"Come in."  Vicktor invited them into his nice and normal house.  No sign of any trators.  There was nothing with any thing that resembled their Russian heritage.  It looked like a normal house.  Sydney felt unsettled, in such a normal setting, with a family whose normalcy rivaled her own family's.  But then again, this was her family.  He ushered them into the living room, where he motioned for them to sit down on the couch. Vicktor went on, "Well of course.  As soon as Sam told us that Sark was looking for her, I knew that it was only a matter of time before Irina found out, and sent some one to retrieve Sam for the therapy."

Vaughn decided it was best to play along.  "You understand why we are going to have to take her of course."

"I do.  But poor Abby, she just can't give Sam to you two like that.  Not in a time where she needs her mother and friends so much.  We've come to love Sam as if she was our own."

"Who is it Jeff?"  Karen called from the other room.

"Why don't we move to my office?"  Vicktor suggested, standing up.  "Karen, come to my office and see who it is."

"Jeff, why won't you just tell me who it is?"  Karen asked, stepping into the office.  Upon seeing Sydney and Vaughn, she knew why.  "Oh, that's why."  Abigail turned to Sydney.  "Your mother talked so highly of you.  I am so glad that you decided to join her team."

"She gave me the best offer." Sydney said, putting on her best fake smile, and shook Abigail's hand.

"Syd, excuse yourself and go talk to Sam, but don't tell her anything.  Just earn her trust until we can figure out how to work this angle."  Weiss hissed in Sydney's ear.

"No, stay.  We may work the angle better with Sydney in there."  Dixon argued.  

"The only way that we'll get Sam to willingly come is if we can earn her trust first.  Go Sydney." Weiss ordered.

"But."  Dixon began.  But a new voice entered the conversation.

"I'm pulling rank.  Sydney, do as Agent Weiss says.  If you understand, sneeze."

Sydney sneezed.  "Bless you child."  Abigail said.

"If you don't mind, may I talk to Samantha alone for a while?"  Sydney gently asked.

"Of course.  It gives us a chance to talk to," Vicktor left a blank, for Vaughn to fill in.

"Michael Sergio."  Vaughn supplied. 

Abigail nodded, and then turned back to Sydney.  "Second door on the left, up the stairs."

"Thank you."  Sydney left the room, passing family portraits.  "Dad, when did you get operational control?"  Sydney hissed the second she was out of earshot from the office.

"The second that I heard that Vicktor Derevko knew who you were."

"Sydney, we need to you be a friend to Samantha.  Remember that she has been through a pretty traumatizing event."  Dixon reminded.

"With the surveillance that we've stolen from the cops, she has barely left her room for anything more than to go to the bathroom for about two weeks.  Be prepared for a stench." Weiss advised.

"You guys really need to shut up, or I am going to get a headache."  Sydney said.  She found Samantha's door with ease.  It was the one covered with photos of her and her friends.  Sydney gently tapped on the door.  "Samantha?"  She whispered.  

Sydney pushed the door open, and found Samantha lying on her bed, in the fetal position.  She didn't seem to recognize Sydney's presence.  "Samantha?" Sydney tried again, taking two steps closer to Samantha.  Samantha didn't even stir.  Sydney went right up to Samantha, and shook her, calling her name.  But Samantha was cool to the touch.

*          *          *          *          *


	8. Hearing It

*          *          *          *          *

Meanwhile down in the office, Vaughn was trying his best to tolerate talking to Vicktor and Abigail Derevko.  There were several moments of very awkward silences.  And the voices that kept telling Sydney what to do were getting to him.  If only he could communicate to them to shut up or something.  But luckily Sydney did it for him.

"I don't remember you.  You must be new."  Vicktor commented.  "I visited a number of years ago."

"Three years.  Sydney is the one that brought me in."  Vaughn admitted.

"Are you and Sydney married?"  Abigail questioned.

Vaughn heard Weiss smirk in his ear, and Vaughn could just hear the disapproval from Jack, even though he was silent.  "No, just dating."

"But you're serious about her, aren't you?"  Abigail pushed.

Vaughn didn't know what to say.  "Stop it Abby, you're scaring the boy.  When I visited five years ago, Irina had mentioned that only a few project children had survived, is this still true."

"Samantha is the oldest."  Vaughn admitted.  "There are a couple that are a year or so younger, but there is only a handful left."

There was a defining roar of silence, as Sydney walked into Samantha's room, and the Derevko's stared at Vaughn.  Suddenly, Vaughn heard an "Oh God," Escape from Sydney's lips.  "Weiss, call an ambulance.  Make sure its CIA.  Samantha is cold."

"Sydney, what's going on?"  Jack Bristow demanded.  

"I don't know.  I go to her bedroom, and Samantha is here, stone cold, very pale.  Weak pulse.  Very weak.  She's breathing, but just so.  I think she may have tried to commit suicide." Sydney observed.  

"Call for the parents to come."  Dixon ordered.

"They're not her parents."  Sydney hissed.  "COME QUICK!!!"  Sydney called downstairs.  

Abigail turned jet white, and went sprinting up the stairs, with Vicktor quick on her heals.  Vaughn hurried behind, but he knew what was happening already, so he paused momentarily at a family portrait, obviously taken a few years before, with Samantha, Karen, Jeff, and another figure, Irina.  

Vaughn heard Abigail scream, and decided to hurry along.  Vicktor held Samantha in her arms, like a rag doll, and was already rushing out of the room.  The group followed him to the master's bedroom, where he laid Samantha on the bed there.  He quickly picked the phone on the nightstand up, and dialed 911.

Vaughn and Sydney heard both conversations, as the call forwarded to Weiss.  While Vicktor and Abigail were panicking, Vaughn had the chance to pull Sydney aside.  "What do you think happened?"  He asked.  

Sydney looked up at him, tears slowly welling in her eyes.  "There was a bottle of pills on the bed."  Sydney confessed.  "Suicide is my guess."

*          *          *          *          *


	9. The Truth, It Hurts

*          *          *          *          *

Karen paced in the waiting room.  Samantha was still in the trauma room, and the doctors wouldn't let the hysterical woman near their work.

"She's going to be alright.  Right?"  She would sometimes ask Jeff.

"She's Sam of course she's going to be alright." Jeff assured.  He turned to Sydney.  "We love Sam as if she was our own daughter.  Of course she thinks that we're her parents.  We can't have her knowing the truth.  Not yet.  She's not ready.  That's why Irina sent us here to Hillside, because no one would find us here.  You have to understand, when your mother took it upon herself to raise Samantha, it was because years after she left you, she was still aching for you.   She didn't try to raise any of the other kids.   There were a couple of kids that the inner circle tried to raise.  But she didn't want that robot life for Sam.  She wanted to let Sam grow up normal.  And she didn't want Sam to remember any thing.  She's not 18 yet.  She can't."  At this point Vicktor broke down into tears, sobbing into Sydney's shoulder.

"It's ok Mr. Daily.  What little I have heard about Sam, tells me that she is a strong girl.  I am sure she's going to be just fine."

"Call me Uncle Vicktor.  Because that's who I am after all."

Sydney wanted nothing more than to make sure that her 'Uncle' felt the cool of the metal handcuffs Vaughn had in his jacket pocket.  "Of course Uncle Vicktor." She replied with her best smile.

"It's all my fault."  Karen suddenly said, spinning around.

"What's all your fault?"  Jeff asked.

"This."  Karen replied.  "She wouldn't be in the hospital if it wasn't for me."

"Don't talk like that Love.  Sam made this choice all on her own.  Now it pains me to see her like this.  As a father, as a human being, I never wanted her to make this choice.  But it was Sam's.  She made it.  We gave her all the love, and care that we had to give.  Every night she was sick, we were there.  These past couple of weeks, we have barely left her side as she has grieved.  We did what we could.  Now Samantha has her task. To overcome her choice."

Karen got very quiet, and sat down next to her husband.  "She didn't choose this."  She suddenly got very quiet, so that only the surrounding party could hear her.  "I force fed her those pills."  Sydney looked over at Karen, and wanted to throw up.  No mother could ever try to kill their daughter, if they loved her that much.  

"What!"  Jeff asked, jumping to his feet.

Karen began to sob hysterically.  "Let me explain."  She begged while Jeff turned away, still furious with his wife.  "Please.  Let me explain."  Jeff took a look at his tear-stained wife, and sat down next to her.  She took his hand.  "I thought it would be better for her.  She just was in so much pain, and we couldn't help her.  And I couldn't have her live until she was 18.  I don't want her to remember what we forced her to forget.  And she's going to spend the rest of her life, fleeing from people that want to kill her. I thought it was best."

*          *          *          *          *


	10. Arresting Family

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney and Vaughn excused themselves for cups of coffee to allow the 'parents' to talk over what Karen had done.  "This puts an interesting twist to this whole thing."  Vaughn stated, as his cup of coffee began to fill.

"How do we report this?" Sydney asked.  "How are we going to arrest them now?"

"Actually, I was thinking that it would make it easier."

"How?"  Vaughn handed his cup to Sydney, who graciously took it, and took a sip.  "Ahh… hospital coffee.  Nothing this bad in the world.  Enlighten me Honey.  How will this make it easier to arrest them?"

"We can get the local authorities involved, for attempted murder."

"She's obviously out of her mind with grief.  I hardly doubt that the locals will go for that."

"Why do you keep protecting them?"  Vaughn suddenly snapped.  "In just about every argument since you found Samantha, you have argued for them.  What is your game Sydney?"

"Are you accusing me of being a traitor?"

"No!  I just want to know why you keep trying to be on their side!"

"It's simple.  She was a Project Christmas baby.  I was too.  I know what its like to live through hell, and have no say in the whole thing, because your parents predestined it.  Now I don't disagree that Vicktor and Abigail need to be held prisoner in federal prison for treason, but Samantha has been through enough as it is.  And she has no free will."

"You can't let your personal feelings get in the way of your job."

"They're not.  My job was to protect Samantha.  Yours was to arrest them.  I'm doing my job.  You're doing yours."

Weiss trotted over to them.  "Hey guys.  I got a call from Jack.  He's gotten clearance from Kendall to allow Jack to take Derevko here."

"Wait, what?" Sydney asked.

"They're bringing Derevko here.  Apparently Kendall and Jack, as tight assed as they are, heard your arguments, and agree with you that Samantha's mental health is extremely important.  They weren't considering it until we wound up here."

"You haven't heard then."  Vaughn said, looking at Weiss.

"Heard what?"

"Abigail tried to kill Samantha.  She force fed the pills."

"Wow."

"We're going to hold off the arrests until my parents get here." Sydney said.

"I say we do it now."  

"Did my dad say anything on when to take the parents?"  Sydney asked, hoping a third party would be able to solve the spat.

Weiss looked at the couple.  From Vaughn to Sydney, from Sydney to Vaughn.  "Don't put me in the middle of this."  He begged.

"We're not."  They both assured at the same time.

"Jack didn't say anything.  But if I had to pick, I'd say now.  Samantha won't know the difference.  She's going to be out for several more hours.  Jack and Derevko will be arriving in an hour or so.  Do it now."

Sydney looked at Vaughn, knowing she had been defeated.  Leaning against the coffee machine, she stared into her coffee.  Vaughn adjusted himself so that he could look into Sydney's eyes, hoping to get the answer he wanted.  "Syd?  We really do have Samantha's safety in mind.  It's no longer just a question of her mental health.  Her mother tried to kill her."

Sydney looked up at Vaughn.  She knew what it felt like to have her mother shoot her. "Fine."

*          *          *          *          *


	11. Before Waking

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney remained out of the room while Vaughn and Weiss were arresting Vicktor and Abigail Derevko.  She couldn't watch it happen, and believe that it was in Samantha's best interest to be taking them into custody.  They went without a fight, knowing that causing a scene would only harm them, and cause more damage to a girl they thought of as their daughter.

Hands folded, and head back, Sydney waited for Samantha to wake up, or for Vaughn and Weiss to return from dropping off Vicktor and Abigail at a waiting CIA team.  She was disturbed from her thoughts when the doctor came and approached Sydney.  "Agent Bristow?"

"Yes."

"While saving Samantha, we noticed that her throat was ripped, as well as the inside of her throat, which generally means a struggle.  Do you know of anything that might have caused such damage?"

"We have a confession out of the mother that the pills were force fed."  The doctor looked horrified.  "She's already been detained."

"I understand that as an employee of this hospital, some records are to be, ahem, tweaked for security records.  Is this one of them?"

Sydney thought long and hard about the doctor's question.  "Mark it down as suicide."

"Consider it done."

"And make sure the torn throat and mouth are not noted."

"Alright.  Anything else?"

"I need to see the chart. To approve the write up, and to sign it."

"Ok."

"How is she?"

"Samantha?" Sydney nodded. "You got her here just in time.  If you had gotten here even ten minutes later, she wouldn't have pulled through.  We were able to get the toxins out of her  system, but we had to stick some extra charcoal into her, and some other medicines, so she should be out for another hour or so.  She should be fully recovered in a week or two."

"That's good."

"You can go in and see her if you'd like."  The doctor suggested.

"Oh I couldn't.  I don't know her really.  She doesn't know who I am for sure."

"That may not matter when she wakes up, and you're a face that will be happy to see her awake and recovering."

"We're bringing her aunt in."

"When will her aunt be here?"

"Oh, a couple hours."

"She may wake up before they get here.  We've discovered that when patents wake up with someone, anyone, even a nameless nurse right there, have a faster recovery time."

"Do you mind showing me to her room?"  Sydney said, finally giving in.  The doctor smiled, knowing the way Sydney felt. She led Sydney down the hall, and stopped outside the door.  "She's in there."  Sydney thanked the doctor, and went into Samantha's hospital room.  Samantha was lying on the bed, motionless.  Monitors were hooked up to her, to ensure her safety, and a thick black layer of charcoal had built up around her mouth.  Sydney took the seat next to the bed, and waited for Samantha to wake up.

*          *          *          *          *


	12. Aunt Irina

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney allowed herself to shut her eyes, and relax.  The hospital was the last place she wanted to be at that second, but it was the first time in several weeks, that Sydney was all alone, and had down time.

A soft knock came at the door. Sydney looked up, and Vaughn entered the room.  "She still hasn't woken up yet?  Has she?"

"No."

"How is she?"

"The doctor said that if we had come much later, Samantha could be in serious trouble, or dead.  But it looks like she's going to pull through just fine.  The tears on her throat will make it so she won't be able to talk much for a couple of days while it heals, and she has to be left here for a couple of days.  And the doctor wants her in mandatory psych evaluations."

"Even though it wasn't suicide."

"It's obvious that she hasn't been doing well since the shooting."

"Did you talk to the doctor about the records?"  Vaughn checked. "We can't have the press find out about her parents. It might look suspicious if it says that her mother forced the pills on her."

"Yeah.  It's being taken care of."  Sydney replied.

Vaughn came further into the room, and sat down in the window next to Sydney's chair.  "Are you mad at me Sydney?"

Sydney looked up at Vaughn.  "No."  She replied.  "You were doing your job.  I understand why you had to do that.  I'm just frustrated that you would think I was playing another side."

"Sydney."  Vaughn started.

"Just because I was doing my job, protecting a girl who has been through a lot, you assumed that I was playing the other side."

"I said no such thing."

"Yes you did."

"Sydney, I swear upon my love to you, I never thought you were a traitor.  All I asked is what game you were playing."

"Same thing."  Sydney hissed.

Vaughn went to retort to his girlfriend, but a friendly face looked in on them.  "Sorry if I'm disturbing anything."  Weiss said.

"Actually."  Vaughn started.

Sydney quickly shot out her hand to stop Vaughn from continuing on.  Immediately, he tensed up and glared at Sydney, but Sydney's fierce stare over powered him, and she felt him relax. "You're not."  Sydney assured.  Weiss looked at them, unsure of who to trust.  "Trust me, you're not interrupting anything.  What's up?"

"Good, because your parents are here Sydney."


	13. Walking Out

Sydney straightened in her chair.  It was a habit she had picked up as a young child, from her mother constantly scolding her for slouching.  Every time Sydney heard that her parents were coming, she would always straighten her posture.  "Let them in."  Sydney said.  

Vaughn moved behind the curtain, ever so slightly.  Sydney's father scared him.  Jack never seemed to take a liking to Vaughn.  But there was a part of Vaughn that also despised Irina.  To him, the only good that came out of Irina was Sydney.  True, Sydney was his Goddess, but Irina killed his father.  If anything, that mysterious woman scared him just as much as Jack did.  The two of them together were a force unparalleled by anything in the natural world.  Vaughn figured, any obstacle that was between him and them, even just a thin curtain, was a good thing. 

"Hello Sydney."  Jack warmly greeted.  Behind him trailed Irina, dressed in civilian clothing.

"Hi Dad.  Mom." Sydney returned.

"Hello Sydney.  Agent Vaughn."

"Hi."  Vaughn answered from behind the curtain.  

"Come out from behind the curtain Agent Vaughn."  Irina exclaimed. 

Still very afraid of a US federal prisoner, Vaughn did as he was told.  Irina quickly saw Samantha, and rushed to her bedside.  "How is she?" She demanded.

"She'll live."  Sydney replied emotionless.  

"I would have never suspected Abby to do such a thing."

"Dad told you then?"

"He filled me in on the plane.  When will she wake up?"

"Soon."  

A very uneasy silence came over the room.  The only sound came from the machines hooked up to Samantha.  "I'm going to go get a cup of coffee or something."  Vaughn said, quickly exiting the room.  Sydney saw his face, and followed after him.  Jack and Irina watched their daughter run after the man she loved.

"Michael."  Sydney called out.  Vaughn briefly turned around, before he decided to keep walking.  Hurt, Sydney jogged to catch up to him. Vaughn looked over to see Sydney walking right along side him.  He defiantly looked away. "If you won't stop and listen to me as your girlfriend, then stop and listen to me as your coworker."  Sydney demanded.  "Or if you won't stop and listen to me as your coworker, then stop and listen to me as your girlfriend."  Vaughn stopped and looked at Sydney.  He said nothing, but Sydney could tell he was waiting for her to talk.  "So which is it? Girlfriend, or coworker?"

"Neither."

"What?"

"We've worked together for years and what I can't seem to figure out is why you thought that I would think you were playing the other side."

Sydney looked at him.  "I don't know what I was thinking.  You asked me what game I was playing, and I don't know what I was thinking."

"You saying that, made me think that you don't believe that I trust you. It was a blow right to my heart Syd."

"Michael."

Vaughn looked at Sydney.  "You keep calling me that."

"It's your name."

"Never has been to you.  I liked you calling me Vaughn."

"Fine, Vaughn, you got to hear me out."

"Syd, when you figure out that I trust you, come find me."  Vaughn walked away, leaving Sydney stunned.  She sat down in a nearby chair, and began to cry.


	14. Sydney's Angel

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney had no idea how long she sat there.  People walked by, quickly rushing to their family members, or friend's room.  Doctors rushed around, saving lives.  Sydney watched in a half daze, every once in a while crying again.  She knew Vaughn was right.  And the look on his face hurt more than a bullet to the arm.  Sydney had leaned her head against the wall when she felt someone sit down next to her.

"I've always disliked this part of the hospital."  The person said.  "Go up three floors to the maternity ward, and there is all that life going on.  It's happy up there.  But every time I have to visit the ICU, it's depressing."  Sydney looked over at the woman, and smiled politely.  The last thing she wanted right then was someone to cheer her up.  "I've just never come down here when it hasn't been a family member."

Sydney was astonished.  This woman obviously knew what she was talking about.  "How many times have you been down here?"

"Four.  My mother had her third stroke a couple days ago, and my father was in a fatal car accident a couple years ago.  He was in a coma for several months before we decided to just let him go.  It looks like my mom won't pull through either.  But I'm ok with it.  After her last stroke, she has been begging that by some miracle God would make her independent again.  The only way for that is for her to be an angel."

"Wow." 

"You look pretty torn up; who do you know that's down here?"

Sydney smiled at the woman's kindness.  "Samantha is my, no, she's… it's complicated."

"Ah.  Life partner?"

"No!"  Sydney quickly corrected.  "No.  Samantha is basically someone I know."

"Was it your fault she's here?  Because I can pretty much guarantee that it's not your fault."

"No. I just had a horrible fight with my boyfriend."

"I've had those in my day too."

Sydney couldn't understand why, but she felt herself opening up to this strange woman.  "He thinks that I don't believe that he trusts me.  The thing is, I know he trusts me."

"Did you tell him so?"

"Not yet.  He sort of stormed off."

"I haven't talked to you for very long, but what it sounds like, is that this thing between you and your boyfriend is just due to the stress of the ICU.  Over the past couple of years, I have spent many months sitting on this bench, watching people go by.  I have seen my fair share of perfectly healthy couples just fall apart when they're down here.  It's like there is something in the air that just causes all sorts of tension.  Get out of this ward; walk around for a little bit.  If you see your boyfriend, tell him what you just told me."  She advised.  "I'm sure that everything will patch itself up.  You obviously love him."

Sydney blinked twice.  She hadn't told Vaughn that she loved him yet.  She had barely admitted it to herself.  "I obviously love him?"

"You can always tell a woman in love." The woman winked at Sydney.

"Thank you."  Sydney stood up, ready to take the strange advice.  But a voice stopped her before she had a chance to take a step.

"Sydney!"  Vaughn called out.

"Vaughn." Sydney breathed a sigh of relief, and raced to his arms.  "I was just going to go looking for you."

"I am so sorry.  I don't know what it is.  It's something in the air."

Sydney looked into his green eyes.  "That's what she said."

"Who?"

Sydney spun around; ready to introduce her new strange friend to her boyfriend, but the woman was gone.  "Never mind.  I am so sorry too.  It was just hard seeing Samantha lying there like that.  I don't know what I was thinking."

"We'll keep our professional opinions to ourselves."

"Deal."  Sydney smiled, as Vaughn took her hand.  "Michael, I love you."  She said.

"I love you too Syd."  From around the corner, Sydney's mysterious friend watched the two interact.  She smiled at her job well done.

*          *          *          *          *


	15. Mrs Heart

*          *          *          *          *

A nurse spotted the woman Sydney had just finished talking to, rushed over to take her by the arm, and led her towards the elevators.  "Mrs. Heart, what are you doing down here?  How many times have I told you that you aren't allowed to leave the psych ward?"

"I had to make sure true love ended up together."  Mrs. Heart said.

"Jody!  Where are you going?" The nurse behind the desk called out.  

"I'm taking Mrs. Cupid back to Psych!"

"Grab me a cup of coffee on your way back."

"I'm not Mrs. Cupid.  I'm Mrs. Heart."

"You only think you're cupid."

"I don't think I am.  I know I am."  

Jody just shook her head.  "I can't wait until your transfer comes through."

"True love will live on.  True love will learn on."

"True love will love on."

"Right.  Now about your husband."

"Mrs. Heart, we've been over this."

"You have to give him a second chance.  Get your head out of the ICU for a change.  You spend too much time in there, and that depressing atmosphere will get to you."

"He's the one that cheated.  And you wouldn't even know about it, if it weren't for the fact that you somehow got out of your bed and overheard me talking to him."

"I destined you two to be together."

"That's nice.  Now, will you please stay in your bed this time, and stop meddling in our visitor's business?"

"When you go downstairs, and you see that girl again.  You won't find her crying on that corner again.  You'll see her smiling.  I think she appreciates my help."

"Because you're cupid."

"Exactly."  

Jody smiled, and handed Mrs. Heart to the psych nurse.  "Don't worry Jody.  She's getting her transfer tomorrow.  She won't be down in the ICU for a while."  Jody thanked the nurse, said a polite goodbye to Mrs. Heart.  She walked downstairs, and found the Sydney and Vaughn talking happily at the corner where Sydney was sitting crying only minutes before.  She smiled.  Maybe Mrs. Heart was cupid after all. Maybe even her husband deserved a second chance.

*          *          *          *          *


	16. Opening

*          *          *          *          *

Samantha's eyes fluttered open.  It took her several seconds for her eyes to adjust to the light.  It only took her a matter of seconds before she figured out where she was.  Upon seeing Irina, she wanted to give a small shout, but the tube in her mouth prevented her to.  Jack was the first to notice the open eyes.  "Wake up Irina, she's awake!"

"Sammy?"  Irina said, quickly rushing to Samantha's side, and holding her hand.

"I'll go get a doctor, and Syd, and Mike."  Weiss offered.

"How are you doing sweetheart?"  Samantha attempted to smile, and pointed to the tube.  "Mr. Weiss went to go get a doctor to take that out for you.  You gave us quite a scare."

A doctor and a nurse came in.  The nurse immediately went about checking Samantha over. The doctor however smiled at Samantha.  "Good morning Ms. Daily.  How are you feeling?"  Slightly aggravated at the question, Samantha pointed to the tube.  "The tube is there to help you breathe. We'll take it out the second Nurse Maine makes sure its safe to.  With a thumbs up or down, how are you doing?"  Samantha put her thumb to the side.  The doctor made a quick note.  "And can you tell me who you are?"  Samantha nodded.

"There was no head trauma, why would she not remember anything?" Irina demanded.

"She stopped breathing for a little while.  It's purely protocol.  Now Ms. Daily, can you point to the people you recognize."  Samantha pointed to Irina.

"She's never met the rest of us." 

"I understand that.  I wanted to check to make sure she does recognize you."

"All clear."  Maine said.

"Very good. Now Samantha, on the count of three, I want you to cough, and we'll get this tube out of your throat.  1, 2, 3."  Samantha coughed, and the doctor pulled the tube out.  Samantha coughed a little more.  "There, that should be better."

"How are you feeling Sammy?"

Samantha gave a weak smile.  "Like my mother tried to kill me."

"Glad to see your sense of humor never left."

"Where are they?"

"Your parents?"  Samantha nodded.

Irina was about to tell Samantha the whole story, but Jack quickly interjected.  "We have to wait for Sydney and Vaughn to get in here, and Weiss too.  He went to go get them."  With smiles on their faces, the trio entered the room.

"Who are they?  Who are you?"

"Doctor, will you please give us a moment?"  Jack said.  It was more of a demand than a request, and the doctor did as he was told.  "Go ahead, tell Samantha the truth."  Jack instructed his ex-wife.

"What? What aren't you telling me?"

Irina took a deep breath before beginning.  "Samantha, your parents and I, we used to be Russian spies."

Samantha gave a laugh, which obviously hurt, because she quickly retreated to a small smile.  "What do you mean used to be?"

"At this point we're all federal prisoners of the US government."

"Right."

"These people here are all agents of the CIA.  Sydney, my daughter, Vaughn and Weiss were sent to arrest your parents for treason.  They were not Jeff and Karen Daily, as you were led to believe.  They were really Vicktor and Abbgail Derevko, my brother and sister-in-law."

"So am I really Samantha Derevko?"

"If you would stop interrupting me, I could finish what I was telling you.  You were born Samantha Gretchen."  Irina began to tell Samantha everything she knew.  Samantha laid there dumbfounded at what she was hearing.  Anything that wasn't highly classified, Samantha now knew.  Like a sponge, she soaked it up.  The news seemed to hurt her, but with all that she had been through for the past month, she wouldn't show it.

Irina looked at the dumbfounded girl, hoping for some hint of emotion.  The only thing that they could see was shock.  Sydney stood against the windowsill, holding Vaughn's hand, as she listened to a life story, much like her own. "What aren't you telling me?"

"What makes you say I'm holding anything from you?"  Irina asked.

Samantha smiled.  "You have that same look as when I would ask you if you would ever stop loving me.  You would always say, yes, but you had that look, and I knew you were lying.  You may be forced to lie, and it may not be a joke, but you have that look.  What aren't you telling me Aunt Irina?"

"Everything I can.  What you may not understand is how much of the information I've already told you is classified, and Jack here is going to ring my neck when we get back for telling you.  A lot of the stuff I have chosen not to say is for your protection."

"So the shooter?"  Samantha asked.  The images of her friends getting shot for was still raw in her mind.  "He was trying to get the information that was trapped inside of me?"

"That was his goal."

"Did you get him?"

"Unfortunately no."

"I've been trying for a long time now.  As soon as we find Sark's evil lair, we're going to try to arrest him."  Sydney added her two cents.  

"Why would you do such a thing!?"  Samantha suddenly burst.  "Why would you program children to become killing machines."

"It was the cold war.  No one knew any better.  Sydney was part of Project Christmas, which was the precursor to the JIP.  You have to understand that both sides did experiments like this."

"I still don't understand."

"No one expects you to."

"Good."  Samantha suddenly got very quiet.  She looked past Sydney and Vaughn, and out the window.  The group just watched her.  The only sound came from outside. "How did you arrest them?"  Samantha finally asked.  

"Sammy, I don't think you want to hear about your parent's arrest.  I don't know the details of it myself, and it's often hard to hear those kinds of things."

"No.  She tried to kill me. I want to know." 

*          *          *          *          *


	17. Friendly Visits

*          *          *          *          *

Everyone focused their attention on Vaughn and Weiss.  They looked at each other to see who would talk.  But they were both saved by a knock on the door.  Everyone, including Samantha turned their attention to the doctor who just entered.  "I'm sorry for intruding, but I need to run some tests on Samantha."  The room nodded their approval.  The doctor looked worried for a second.  "Immediate family only."

"My parent's aren't here.  Do you mind if my Aunt sticks around?"

"No, that's alright. The rest of you out."  The others all understood.  They stood up, and got up to leave.  Jack stopped at the door.  

"Irina, come."

"She's not a dog."  Samantha said.

"Come."  Irina nodded, and left.

"You don't have to take that you know."  Samantha informed Irina.  "You don't have to go. You have your own mind.  The doctor said you could stay.  I want you to stay."

"No, Sammy, I do have to go."

"It will only be fifteen minutes at the most."  

"I'll see you then Sammy."

They stood outside the room for a while before a small group of five worried teenagers came down the hallway. "Excuse me, could you tell us what room Samantha Daily is in?" The boy in front asked.  The nurse pointed to where the group waited.  He came up to them.  "Is this Samantha's room?"

"Yes."  Jack grunted.

"Oh thank god.  How is Ben?"  A girl asked.

"Ben?"  The older group chorused.

"Yeah, Sam's nickname.  Jenn forgets a lot that it's only us that know her as Ben."  The leader boy asked.

"And just how did she get that nickname?"  Irina inquired.

"Cher,"

"You have a friend named Cher?"  Weiss asked.

"Nicknamed Cher!  Honestly!  And we _had_ a friend named Cher.  Cher died in the shooting; anyway Cher gave it to her.  When Sam moved here from wherever it was…"

"Springfield."  The leader said.

"Yeah, Springfield, anyway.  Sam introduced herself as Sam. And of course being third graders Cher made fun of her because she had a boys name.  And would call her Ben.  In return, Ben would call her Cher.  I never did figure out why. Cher's real name was Jessica.  Well, the names stuck.  The loss of Cher really hit Ben hard."

"I think it was Caitlin's death that really did it to Ben."

"I dunno. Cher and Ben were really tight."

"But Sam didn't watch Cher die!  Caitlin was in her class."

There was one quiet girl that stood behind the other four. She obviously was close to both Cher and Caitlin.  "I just want to know if she's alright."

"She's with the doctor right now.  But she's going to be fine."  Irina answered.

There was a sigh of relief from all of Samantha's friends.  "When can we see her?"

"The doctors are with her right now.  You can see her when they're done."

Jack leaned over to get into Irina's ear.  "We still have a lot to talk to her about.  I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"Sammy needs to see her friends."

"I agree with Mom."  Sydney added.

"Irina proves a point."  Vaughn agreed.  

Jack looked over at Weiss, his one and only hope to make the score even.  But Weiss sided with the other three.  "We can talk to her later."

"How much longer is she going to be?" One of the friends asked.

"The doctor said 15 minutes.  We've been waiting for five.  So I'd say 10 or so."  Sydney answered.

The group all turned inward, to have a little group chat.  The tallest boy then turned to the adults.  "We're going down to the gift shop.  If you guys are allowed back in before we get back, could you tell her that we're here?"

"Certainly."

*          *          *          *          *


	18. The Plan

*          *          *          *          *

Samantha's friends beat the doctors, and arrived to the room before the doctors had finished their examination.  The doctors had barely put their foot out the door, before they had already surrounded her.  The adults followed, but stayed in the back, watching the girl interact with her friends.  Samantha's mood immediately brightened.  It could have been the anti depressants the doctors gave her (after a very brief psych evaluation, it was obvious that Samantha needed some) but it was likely just the company of her best friends. Everyone was still talking when Samantha fell asleep.  Her friends understood, and left as silently as they could.

"Sydney, I have to get Irina back.  Kendall allowed her to visit for today."

"Wait, I didn't get a chance to say good bye to Samantha yet."

"There are a lot of important goodbyes you missed.  I hardly doubt this was the most important goodbye to miss." Jack snapped.

"I didn't have a choice."  Irina snapped back.

"You don't have a choice now either.

"Both of you shut up!"  Sydney said, stepping in like a middle child.  "You just have to face the fact that you have to go back to your cell before Sam wakes up."

"Will you explain to her any questions she might have?"

"Yes. Sure."

"Let's go."  Jack ordered, standing up.

"Dad, I'm not sure if this is a good idea yet.  She may be on antidepressants, but Mom is the only family she's got left."

Jack looked solemnly at his daughter.  "Take it up with Kendall."

It wasn't often that Sydney would turn to her father for support, but the one time she needed him to back her up, he wasn't there.  "Samantha is a lot like you Sydney.  She'll be fine."

"That's what scares me." Sydney silently whispered.

"And what about Samantha?"  Weiss asked.  "The doctors were talking about releasing her soon.  What happens then?"

"You three are to stick to the plan."

"Permanently?"  Weiss' voice cracked.

"Until a more permanent plan is drawn up."  Jack answered.  "It could be a week at most.  Just hang tight in the safe house."

Weiss grumbled.  "There go the Kings tickets you and I had."  He said, turning towards Vaughn.

"Just think of it as a vacation."  Vaughn answered.  "A week long vacation where we're still working."

"That makes it work. No matter where we are." Weiss retorted.

"We'll keep in touch as far as the plan goes over the next week."  Jack said.  "I'll see you later honey." Jack waved to Sydney.

"Bye Dad."

Irina took one look at Jack's face, and decided that it would be best if she just waved good-bye to Sydney.  Weiss fell back into the chair he was sitting in.  "A week of babysitting.  They have three of their best agents babysitting one teen age girl."

"Hey.  They're harder than they sound. My sisters were terrors when they were 17."  Vaughn said.  "Kylie rebelled, and Sarah decided to be a mall rat."

"And you spent all your time at the hockey rink."  Sydney said, kissing Vaughn.  "Your poor mother must not have seen you three much.

"You know me too well.  But she saw us.  I mean Kylie was two years older than Sarah, who was four years older than me.  So I mean she wouldn't see us but at different times."

"Yeah, well, my sister Elizabeth wasn't an angel either.  But it doesn't take three of the CIA's best agents to watch Samantha."

"You mean two of the best." Sydney joked.

"You mean me and Mike, right?"  Weiss played along.

"I think she means me and her." Vaughn said, putting his arm around Sydney's shoulder.  The three of them were laughing as quietly as they could, but they were still a little too loud.  Samantha stirred in her bed.  The three of them quickly shut their mouths and looked at Samantha, hoping that she would remain sleeping.  Luckily for them, she did.  

"It's hard to imagine that somewhere in that head of hers, Samantha has the power to destroy governments, and she doesn't even know it."  Sydney said her voice trailing off, killing the goofy mood, and quickly replacing it with a much more serious one.

"It's even harder to imagine that she was just a baby when it happened.  When your mother explained to our team how exactly the JIP worked, I was amazed.  Its incredible that with all the problems that went wrong with the scores of other kids, Samantha has managed to hold on this long."  Weiss said.

"It's just like your mother said Syd.  Samantha is as strong willed as you are."  Vaughn said.

"That's what scares me."  Sydney quietly said to herself again.

"What was that Dear?"

Sydney smiled up at her boyfriend.  "Nothing.  It's nothing." 

*          *          *          *          *


	19. Promises

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney and Vaughn sat in the windowsill, resting.  Sydney's head rested on Vaughn's shoulder, and he put his head on top of hers.  Vaughn was sound asleep, but Sydney couldn't sleep.  Everyone was saying that she and Samantha were alike.  Her mother, Vaughn, even Weiss nodded his head when they said that.  She couldn't help but feel scared for Samantha every time someone would say that.  Samantha was programmed with the skills to succeed in the CIA.  And now that Kendall knew about the JIP, she would surely be approached for recruiting.  Sydney knew that the CIA needed people like her and Samantha.  But she also hated for Samantha to get wrapped up in the patriotism like she did at a young age, only to find evils unparalleled in anyone's imagination.  It was such a dangerous job.  Sydney wouldn't be able to stand it if Samantha's life ended before she had a chance to live, both literally and figuratively.  There were so many times that Sydney felt she had put her life on hold.  She couldn't help but agree with Vaughn.  Babysitting Samantha for a week was a vacation.  There would be no calls in the middle of the night telling them to get to the JTF, there wouldn't be any missions with an hour notice.  No debriefings.  Just babysitting a seventeen-year-old girl and to protect her.  Sark would surely be back.

            Sydney nearly jumped out of her skin when Samantha suddenly bolted up, breathing hard.  Her spy instincts told her not to scream, but she couldn't help but be frightened.   Samantha seemed to be just as freaked out as Sydney.  She was breathing hard, and looking around the strange room.  Sydney propped Vaughn against the windowsill, and moved to sit next to Samantha.  Sydney grabbed Samantha's hand and Samantha looked at Sydney.  "It's ok Samantha."

            Just knowing that Sydney was there, was enough comfort for Samantha.  Her breathing slowed down to normal, and then she laid back down.  "This is the first time I've slept since the shooting."  Her eyes were wide open, staring at the bleak ceiling.  "I tried to sleep that first night, but it's only in my dreams where I see it happen.  I blacked out that day.  I didn't know what was happening.  But every time I go to sleep, I can see Mr. Steven getting shot; I can feel Cher's blood on my back; I can see Carly fall to the ground."

            "They gave you some drugs so that you could go to sleep."

            "Make sure that they don't ever give them to me again. I can't go to sleep."  Samantha was now so terrified of her own dream that she was crying.

            "Samantha,"

            "Everyone calls me Sam.  You can too.  You're name is Sydney right?"  The girl tried to wipe away her tears, and remain calm.

            "Yes.  Sam, maybe we can help you learn to compartamen…"

            Samantha quickly cut Sydney off.  "Your Aunt Irina's daughter right?"

            Sydney smiled.  "Yes."

            "That makes us cousins."  

            Sydney bit her lip.  "If you look at it that way."

            Samantha looked at Sydney confused for a second before it dawned on her. "Oh yeah.  My parents aren't really my parents."  She looked like she was going to go back to crying.  "I never did find out about how you guys arrested them."

            "I don't know either.  Vaughn and Weiss did it.  Currently Vaughn's sleeping up there in the window, and Weiss is moving some of your stuff to the safe house."

            "I have to move?" Samantha's already weak voice grew weaker.

            "Sark, the man who started the shooting, worked closely with my mother.  It is very likely that he was hired by a man named Sloane to kidnap you and try to extract the information from your head early.  But because he worked closely with my mother, he likely has access to that kind of information.  We just want to make it look like it was just your parents living there. We also want to keep you in a safe house, where we can monitor the perimeter easier.  Do you understand?"

            "Yes."

            A nurse came into the room.  "Well, we weren't expecting you to be up quite yet."  

"How did you know I was awake?"

"We're a hospital.  We know all."  Samantha just gave a polite smile.  "The doctor ordered that you sleep at least through the night, so we're going to up the dosage of your medications, just a little, so you will sleep soundly."  

            Samantha turned towards Sydney with fear in her eyes.  Sydney squeezed Samantha's hand for support.  "Excuse me, nurse?  Do you think it's possible for Sam to not get a higher dosage?  I mean she's already on so much."

            "The doctor gave me exact orders."

            "All they will do is make her fall asleep?"

            "Yes?"  

            "Then I'm going to override the doctor's orders.  I need to talk to Samantha while the hospital is quiet, and prying ears can't listen."  Sydney picked up the chart, and was about to use her CIA agent status to override the orders (which she could do) before the nurse grabbed the chart from Sydney's hands.

            "I never found you awake." She said, winking, and then walked out.

            "Thanks so much Sydney."

            "As soon as we can, I'm going to get someone in here to teach you how to compartmentalize.  That way you can sleep without having to relive that day."

            "You can do that?"

            "Yeah.  And Samantha, with this JIP, you're probably going to see things way worse than at school."

            "Even worse than seeing your best friend get shot?  Feeling her blood on you back, is there anything worse than that?"

            "How about finding your fiancée dead in the bathtub, only to find out that the man who killed him was your employer.  Or seeing the aftermath of people burned from the inside out from a 15th century invention."  

            "Close second."

            "I'm going to teach you how to compartmentalize if they won't have anyone else teach you."

            "Alright.  That would be awesome."

            "I want you to try to sleep on your own again."

            Samantha shook her head and started crying.  "No, no.  Don't make me."

            "I can always call the nurse back in here."

            "I don't want to.  I can't.  Those people I saw die were my friends.  I bet you can't even imagine?"

            Sydney nodded.  "Yes I can.  Sam, if the nightmare returns, I'll be right here.  Nothing will happen to you."

            "What about your sleep?"

            "I know autocircadian meditation. It has all the benefits of sleeping in a fraction of the time.  So don't worry about me.  It's not healthy to not sleep for a week.  I want you to try again."  Sydney smiled at Samantha.  She didn't know autocircadian meditation.  Her mother had mentioned it once, and she knew that Samantha would feel better if she knew that Sydney would be awake, and still rested.

            Samantha still had tears rolling down her cheeks when she nodded, and closed her eyes.  Sydney took a quick glance over at the sleeping Vaughn.  She would have been more comfortable in the windowsill with him. Everything was more comfortable when he was near her. Samantha still had a firm grip on Sydney's hand. As much as she wanted to be with Vaughn, she knew that Samantha needed her more.  Samantha opened her eyes again, and looked into Sydney's for comfort and trust.  She quietly whispered one last thing before closing her eyes for the night. "Thank you Sydney."

*          *          *          *          *


	20. True Family

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney stayed true to her word.  She sat at Samantha's bedside, catching herself every couple minutes as her eyelids drooped shut.  She held Samantha's hand through the night.

Samantha however didn't tell Sydney the whole truth.  She knew that Sydney would stay awake like she said she would.  Samantha also knew that there was no way that she could actually fall asleep again.  Sydney didn't know what it was like to relive that same day in her head every time she dreamed.  At least, that was what she thought.  Samantha lay in her bed all night, her eyes closed.  She would force herself to think about something else, anything else.  But there wasn't much for her to think about outside of her own parents.  

Something Sydney had said struck a nerve.  "If you look at it that way."  It echoed in her mind, over and over again.  "If you look at it that way."  She had to admit it, she and her parents had never gotten along very well.  Samantha had to admit that it felt like they never really wanted to be parents.  Parenting seemed to have been a task that had been thrust upon them.  She had to force herself not to laugh when she realized that it probably was an assignment.  They hadn't gotten along, but love had never been questioned.  She had always loved her parents.  But were they her parents?  I mean she was their assignment, so did they really consider themselves as her parents? And what about Irina?  Did she only pretend to care too? And even if she considered her family, her family, was Sydney part of the mix? Could she consider Irina an aunt, her parents as nothing, and Sydney as a cousin? The whole thing made Samantha's head spin.

The sun was shining through Samantha's closed eyes when she had finally decided how she was going to approach her new family.  Sydney's hand, which she still held, helped her along.  She started easy. Her mother.  If Samantha was fighting with her parents, it was mostly with her mother.  She had most of her anti-family feelings from her.  And what kind of mother tries to kill her daughter, and thinks it's for the best.  Her mother was easy.  Karen Daily was Abigail Derevko and therefore was not her mother. Deciding about her father was a harder task, but not much harder.  He was distant.  Working more often than not.  She never honestly felt like he was ever home.  When he was home, he was always in his office, or his briefcase wasn't far behind.  When he wasn't working, he couldn't be sweet.  He was protective of her, usually too protective of her.  He was controlling, and a tad abusive protective.  But there were the occasional late night chats over a bowl of ice cream that definitely proved that he loved her more than her mother did.  But in the end, Samantha came to the decision that Vicktor Derevko was also not her father.

Irina Derevko was the hardest for Samantha.  Of all of her relatives, she was the one person that hadn't lied.  Samantha had always known her as Aunt Irina Derevko.  Samantha used to call her aunt when things got crappy.   She would dish out advice, it wasn't always the right advice, but it would be the advice she'd want to hear.  Accompanied with the correct advice, right afterwards.  Samantha would always look forward to Irina's visits.  She hated Irina when she dropped off the face of the earth for an entire year.  When Samantha saw Irina sitting at her bedside the day before, all that anger melted away.  She couldn't help but feel happy.  Even as she was told what her entire family really was.  Aunt Irina was there.  Everything was going to be okay.  Irina Derevko was definitely part of her family.  She was more of a mother figure than her "mother" had ever been.  Weather Samantha considered Irina a mother, or an aunt she decided to save for another sleepless night.  Samantha thought that anyone that would be willing to risk insomnia to comfort her was worth keeping around too.  Sydney was definitely part of her family.  If she considered Irina as a mother, well then, Sydney as a sister was pretty cool.  But if Irina was her aunt, as she had been her entire life, Sydney as a cousin was pretty cool too.  And if Irina ever really betrayed her, like her parents had done, Samantha figured that Sydney as a friend wouldn't be half bad either.  She'll keep Sydney.

"What time did you get up?"  She heard Vaughn sleepily ask Sydney.  She slowly peeked at the two, lucky; neither of them were looking at her.

"Never went to sleep.  Sam needed me up.   How'd you sleep?"

"For a window sill, not as bad as it could have been.  Would have been better with you beside me."

"Sam saw more than I ever saw at 17, and she keeps having nightmares about it.  I don't blame her.  After I saw Danny in that tub, I had problems compartmentalizing it.  It kept me awake for weeks."

"Syd, I want you to go.  Go to the safe house and get some sleep.  I'll stay here with Samantha.  Go sleep."

"Weiss has the only car, and I don't know the buses or the streets well enough to walk to the house."

"Then sleep here."

"Thanks for being concerned Michael.  But you know I can go much longer than this without sleep, and be jet lagged all at the same time."

Vaughn sighed.  "You called me Michael."  Samantha could hear the smile in his voice.

"Well, it's your name, isn't it?"

"You just don't call me Michael all that often."  Sydney's eye's slowly closed and her head fell.  She suddenly jerked herself back awake.  "If you're not going to sleep, then I will go track down some coffee for you."

"Alright."  Sydney kissed Vaughn before he left.

Although Samantha still pretended to sleep, she could tell that someone else had entered the room, only a couple seconds after Vaughn had left.  Sure enough, a new voice spoke.  "Where's Mike?" Weiss asked.

"He went to go get me some coffee.  What's up Weiss?  What's in that folder?"

There was a rustling of paper.  Sydney gasped.  "Does the JTF know about this?"

"They're the ones that got me the pictures."

"Are we ready to…?"

"Yeah.  I'm way ahead of you Syd.  I've had those for a grand total of twelve minutes.  11 ½ of them I spent in the car, getting the arrangements through."

"Twelve minutes.  He couldn't have left yet?"

"Hasn't cleared customs.  We can still get out of here."

Samantha tried to open her eyes a little, to see what Sydney was looking at, but she couldn't open them enough.  She saw Vaughn walk in, looking directly at her.  "Here Syd.  All I could find was this hospital stuff.  What's that?"  Vaughn took the photos from Sydney.  "Shit!  What are we still doing here?"

"Waiting for you."

"Screw me!  Let's go!"  Vaughn's voice cried for urgency.  The three of them started pulling Samantha off all of the machines.  She felt a little violated as someone tired to put shoes and socks on her, until she realized it was Sydney.  What ever was happening had to be really important.

*          *          *          *          *


	21. The Man in the Photos

*          *          *          *          *

The suspense was killing Samantha.  She bolted upright.  "Alright!  Someone tell me what's going on!"  She looked at Sydney's shocked face.  "I never went to sleep.  I just lay there all night, pretending to sleep to keep you happy.  I want to know why it's so urgent that we get out of here."  

Vaughn passed the photos to her.  "Here, you're old enough."

Samantha took the photos.  She looked at them carefully.  "This is the airport."

"Yep."

"And this guy in it is the guy that shot everyone."

"Yes.  He's here for you.  Should be driving this way as we speak.  Which is why we need to get you out of here."

"Why do they want me?"

Sydney stopped unplugging the machines. "I thought you understood this."

"I do.  I mean I understand why they want me and everything, but I can't understand why they won't wait two months for me to turn 18."

Sydney smiled, understanding where Samantha's confusion was coming from.  "I hate to break the news to you, but Sark, and his organization- whoever he's working for at the moment- won't be the only ones hunting you.  Everyone wants to see what they put into your head."

"You apparently have a more perfect key to the perfect spy, than Sydney does."  Vaughn said, helping Samantha stand up.

"Seriously? You're the perfect spy?"

"There are some that believe that, yes."

"How so?"  Samantha called from the bathroom, as she changed into her own clothing.

"At a young age, the skills that are needed to be someone like me, were finely tuned, so that when I grew older, I could learn them again with ease."

"So how can anyone be more perfect than you?"

Sydney smiled, although Samantha couldn't see it.  "I act upon my emotions too much."

"So what ever was inserted into me, takes away my emotions."

"We don't know."

Samantha stepped out of the bathroom, dressed and ready to go. "What now?"

"Weiss is getting a couple things with the hospital taken care of.  Then we're going to hide at the safe house for a couple hours, while Sark looks for you, before we head to the airport."

"Airport!  I thought I could stay here in Hillside!"

"When Sark showed up at the airport, our plans and orders changed.  We're to take you to LA where you can hide easier."

"I don't want to hide!  I've never been a good hider.  In hide and seek- I couldn't hide, or seek!  I'd just run around in circles until someone spotted me, or they'd get bored and leave their hiding spots."

"Samantha, if you want to live, I recommend coming."

"I can't go.  I have nothing to live for really.  I haven't slept all week. Every time I actually do fall asleep, I can see Cher dying, and Carly falling to the ground, and it hurts.  My parents, who aren't really my parents, are U.S. traitors, along with my favorite aunt. My mother tried to kill me, and my best friends think I'm suicidal.  I'd say my life pretty much bites right now."

"Sam, you'll have way less of everything if you stay here.  You'll literally have to disappear.  You wouldn't be able to go to school, or see your friends.  You'd live your life as a hermit in the safe house, with people watching you 24/7.  In LA we'd give you a new last name, and we'd give you a closely monitored house, but not a safe house.  You'd have a life."

"Use me as bait!  Catch Sark, and then you can set me free!"  Samantha exclaimed.

Sydney had had enough.  She looked Samantha in the eye.  In a tone that was both threatening, and scary, she tried to get Samantha to understand.  "Don't you get it, it will never end, you will always be a mouse, and the whole world will be a cat.  You will always be hunted. Sark is just one evil, of many.  This will never end."

*          *          *          *          *


	22. Not Running

*          *          *          *          *

Samantha stood rooted in her spot, too stubborn to move.

"I know this is not what you want to hear, but it's true.  Now you can stand here, and likely be killed or kidnapped when Sark finds you here, or you can come with us and we can possibly help you to live a full life."  Sydney tried again.  

"I don't want to spend the rest of my life running."  Samantha continued to be rooted to her spot.  She wanted to run.  She knew that if just this once she ran, she would never stop running, and the last shreds of what was left her life would just dissolve into the past.

Vaughn pulled Samantha towards the door.  "Fine, don't spend your entire life running, but now is the time to run."

Samantha looked Vaughn in the eye.  "Would you run?"

"Right now, yes."

"You?"  Samantha asked, turning to Weiss.  "Would you run?"

"I'd rather run than die."

"And what about you Sydney?  You don't seem like a runner to me."

"Sam, even I know when to back down from a battle.  I would run."

"My stuff?"  Samantha asked.  Most of her junk she didn't really care about, but her photos… her photos were the most precious things she owned and they were irreplaceable.

"It's all at the safe house, we'll take it with us. When it is finally safe and you don't have to run anymore, you can have it back." 

At this point Samantha was getting frustrated.  No one would side with her.  And then Sydney was starting to give her conflicting statements. "You told me it would never be safe."

"I meant when you can protect yourself."

Samantha sighed.  People she trusted surrounded her, and they were all telling her to run.  Objects in motion stay in motion.  People running keep running. "You promise that I'll stop running one day, right?"  She asked, looking at Sydney.  Sydney said nothing, standing there as stubborn as Samantha.  "Right?"

"You listen to me!" Weiss exclaimed, stepping in between Sydney and Samantha.  He looked directly at Samantha.   "You're as stubborn as she is! But get this!  For once in her life, Sark won't want to kill Sydney when he sees her.  He'll only want to capture you, and then torture you until he gets whatever kind of information he's looking for. And quite frankly, I don't want to see the CIA's precious resources used as we try and rescue you, because you were too stupid to run!"  Weiss said through gritted teeth and with a voice stained with aggravation as he tried not to yell. "So if you're not going to go willingly, so help me, I'll make sure that you're knocked out in a second, and we'll carry you out!"

Samantha's eyes grew real wide. She was surprised by Weiss' outburst.  Just looking at him, she thought he was a good-natured man who never got mad or upset.  By looking at Sydney and Vaughn's expressions, Samantha could see that they were just as surprised as she was.  Even Weiss seemed to be surprised by what he had just done.  Meaning it was a big deal that he had just gone to that extreme.  "Alright, let's go."  She said.  Sydney nodded towards Weiss and Vaughn, then she and Samantha started to run. As the two women got a head start running to the awaiting van, the men picked up every last shred of Samantha's presence from the room. 

"Wow, I haven't gotten that mad since I caught Elizabeth trying to take half of my stuff to school with her."  Weiss said, as Vaughn started to pull out of the parking lot. 

Samantha looked longingly out the window as she watched the hospital slowly fade from view.  She watched as they passed her school, still crawling with detectives and construction crews, as they tried to reopen the school as quickly as possible.  They passed the coffee shop where she had worked and she and her friends had liked to hang out.  Sydney saw the pain that Samantha was feeling, so she held the girl close until they drove just out of town, and pulled into the safe house.

*          *          *          *          *


	23. Running

*          *          *          *          *

Samantha successfully made it into the house before she let the weight of the past week fall upon her.  She collapsed in the front foyer crying.  Sydney picked her up and helped her to the couch.  She held the girl close for a while, while Vaughn and Weiss looked on feeling slightly awkward.  Crying women wasn't one of their strong points.  They looked at Sydney, hoping to see if there was anything they could do by not being there.  Sydney didn't see them standing there, so they left.

"We're going to go make sure all of our papers are in order."

Sydney nodded, as Weiss and Vaughn went into the office.  "What kind of papers do we have?"  Vaughn asked Weiss.

Weiss looked through the papers.  "Looks like we get to make our own."

"What?"

Weiss handed a note to Vaughn.  "It's from Marshall."

"Sorry about having to make your own.  I didn't have time to send the passports and stuff because you were cutting it so close on time.  I suggest you get a watch.   Daily's new alias is going to meet you guys in LA." Vaughn read.  He looked up at Weiss.  "Well, this is a delay I'm not sure we can really afford."

"Marshall couldn't afford it either."

Vaughn sighed and sat down at the computer.  He took the specs that Marshall had attached to his note, and glanced over them.  "Syd and Samantha appear to be sisters, Syd and I married, and you and I best friends. We're flying to meet up with some other friends, and Samantha is tagging along to check out some west coast colleges."

"Man, I don't know how we're going to pull that off."

"You mean the whole us three flying to LA to meet up with friends, with Syd's kid sister tagging along?  I'm sure there are better cover stories."

"No, I meant you and Sydney being married.  It's a bit far stretched."

"Funny man, very funny."

Weiss yawned.  "It doesn't take two of us to print this crap out.  I was up late moving all of this crap while you were sleeping happily with your girlfriend.  If you don't mind, I am going to go take a nap."

"Yeah, go ahead."

Vaughn looked around the office, at the walls.  Weiss had done a good job making the place look lived in, in only a night.  There were various Chinese delivery cartons trashed, and paper had been scattered all over the office.  "Hey."  Sydney said, standing at the doorway.

Vaughn spun around, and smiled.  "Hey yourself."

"Where's Weiss?"

"He left a few minutes ago to take a nap.  How's Samantha doing?"

"Sam asked to be alone.  I thought before everyone starts suffocating her, I'd give her the space."

"Sounds good.  Listen, I'm sure I can find a sushi place in town.  You still owe me a sushi date."

"I don't feel like sushi.  How about Italian?"  Sydney said with a smile.

"Ah, but I never got a chance to take you to the sushi place that I had reservations for two nights ago.  You owe me a sushi date."

"How about I make it up to you in a different way."  Sydney said, sitting down on Vaughn's lap and kissing him.

"You can do that all you want, but we are still going to sushi."  Sydney kissed Vaughn again.  "Nope, still sushi."  Sydney smiled, and tried again.  "Sushi."  

"Fine, sushi it is.  As long as its alright for both Sam and Weiss."

"Weiss is asleep, and Sam, well…" The printer beeped, and Vaughn looked at the finished passport.  

"I still want to check."

"Only mine and Weiss' passports left, Mrs. Elizabeth Collins."  Vaughn said, handing Sydney the freshly printed passport.  "Where should we pretend that you've been?"

Sydney pressed her lips together, and smiled.  "Italy, and Mexico."

"Italy and Mexico it is.  And then your sister, Lauren Kissenger, will have been to Mexico, so we could be in Italy for our honeymoon."

"Wait!  Are you telling me that Marshall's aliases for us are that you and I are married, and Sam and I are sisters?"

"Yep."

"That man is great.  So where does Weiss fit in?"

"My best friend."

Sydney chuckled.  "As if anyone would believe that."  She joked.

Vaughn laughed. "He said the same thing about us being married."

A security camera in the office started a loud wail, alerting them to a presence that wasn't programmed into the computer.  Sydney jumped off Vaughn's lap, and went to look.  "Someone parked in front of the house."  

"Can you see who it is?"

"Give me a second to enhance the picture."  Sydney gasped as she recognized the familiar face.  "Oh god, Sark found us here.  What's the purpose of a safe house if it's not safe?!" She exclaimed.

"Syd, take Sam, and make a run for the airport.  Mine and Weiss' passports are almost done printing.  We'll hold off Sark."

"He's got two body guards with him."

Vaughn pressed the two passports into Sydney's hand. "Be careful Sydney."

"Meet you in LA."

"See you there."

"I love you Vaughn."

"I love you too Sydney."  

*          *          *          *          *


	24. Sydney and Samantha's Flee

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney raced upstairs to retrieve Samantha.  The teen was sitting on the bed, surrounded by her things, just staring at a blank spot on the wall.  Her cheeks were tear stained from the crying.  It was much like the way Sydney had first found Samantha back in her house.  This time, Sydney didn't try to politely wake the girl from her reverie.  "Sam, you and I have to run, right now."

Samantha didn't register what Sydney had said.  There wasn't time, so Sydney grabbed Samantha's arm, and pulled her towards the door.  "Samantha, Sark is right outside this house right now, we're going to try to make a run for it.  Vaughn and Weiss are going to try to hold them back."  Samantha was stunned for a second, before the realization hit her.  She nodded, and followed Sydney.  Swiftly, the two maneuvered their way to the hidden staircase, cleverly hidden in the master bedroom.  

"Where does this lead?"  Samantha asked as she ran down the stairs.  Sydney was following her gun in hand, making sure that together they weren't being followed.

"Hopefully two cars and a couple clever disguises."

"What if there's only one car?"

Sydney said nothing, and continued to run.  The short tunnel ended a fourth of a mile later when they reached a small garage, which fortunately held two cars.  Sydney tossed a costume to Samantha.  "Put this on."  Sydney ordered. 

Samantha looked at the short, dark, blonde wig in her hands, and the outfit Sydney had tossed her.  She looked at it with disgust.  "I'm sorry, I don't do punk.  If you were to put any label on me, try prep."  She said, holding up the black pants, and the Nightmare Before Christmas shirt.

"You do now.  Besides, Samantha Daily doesn't do punk.  Lauren Kissenger does punk.  Oops, your accessories."  Sydney handed Samantha a bag of various bracelets and a dog collar.  "Your new alias is Lauren Kissenger.  I'll go over it more in the car.  Are you ready?"  Sydney asked.  She had just finished changing into her medium length dirty blonde wig, with preppyish jeans and a t-shirt.  Samantha looked at Sydney's costume with envy burning in her eyes.

"I can't get my wig." Samantha confessed.  Sydney quickly helped Samantha fix her wig, and instructed her to get into the car.  She tossed the small file containing their aliases into Samantha's lap.

"Memorize all this.  This file doesn't leave this room."

"How much time do I have?"  Samantha asked, panicking over the three pages of information she had just been handed.

"Very little."

"What about you?  Don't you have a file to memorize?"

"Easy. Elizabeth Collins.  Wife to George Collins.  Sister to Lauren Kissenger.  I'm traveling with John Agee, best friend to George Collins.  We're heading to LA to meet up with friends Henry and Lauretta Stapples, and Jennifer Ling to head to Kelly Juniper and Benjamin Stiesman wedding.  Lauren is tagging along to visit some of the colleges along the west coast.  The rest I can bullshit."

Samantha looked at Sydney in awe as the alias rolled easily off her tongue.  "That was fast."

"Vaughn showed me my file in the office.  I was able to glance over it while I was in there."

Samantha quickly looked at the file.  Sydney picked up the cell phone that was put away.  She turned it on, and dialed her father's phone number. While she told her father the situation, the clock was ticking.  She and Samantha had been hiding in the garage for over five minutes as it was.  The door was well hidden, but Sark undoubtedly had the resources to find them in a heartbeat.  Her father was taking care of their plane information, as Sydney burned the small files containing their aliases.  She grabbed the passports out of her own jean pockets, and began to step into the car.

It was then that Sydney heard gunshots from inside the house, and froze.  _Vaughn._

*          *          *          *          *


	25. Thoughts of Vaughn

*          *          *          *          *

Sydney wanted nothing more than to run back inside the house, and run to her precious Vaughn.  He was her all.  But she heard the door open and close.  And the voices that were echoing down the hall did not belong to Vaughn and Weiss.  Sydney knew that Vaughn would insist on the sacrifice she was about to make.  She jumped into the driver's seat and pulled out of the driveway.  She drove casually, hoping that Sark's men wouldn't follow her.  "Sam, reach into the glove box, get me out the gum and the gun."

Samantha looked at Sydney worried, curious what the gum really was.  She carefully handed both to Sydney.  Sydney just took the gun and began loading it one handed, while still driving the car.  "What does the gum do?"

"Take a piece. It's the last accessory to your costume."  Sydney instructed.  She saw a familiar black car turning every time she did.  Sydney attempted to shake the tail, until they caught on, and began to shoot at her tires.  Sydney sped up, and weaved in and out of traffic.  Samantha held onto her seat belt for dear life, as Sydney went down a one-way alley, the wrong way.  

Sydney sped through an intersection, causing several accidents behind her.  "Sydney!  That was a red light!"

"It's better that I ran a red light, than waiting for it, and winding up dead." Samantha said nothing as she closed her eyes.  Sydney spun into a grocery store parking lot and paused.  "Good, they got stuck behind that intersection."  Samantha opened her eyes, to turn and see two men with guns jump out of their car, and start running towards their car.  Sydney smiled with victory before driving out of the lot, and towards the airport.  Her thoughts shifted from getting Samantha safe, to Vaughn.  Was he alright? Did he fire the shot?  Was it someone else? Sydney couldn't help but worry.   She wanted to spin the car around, and go running back to the safe house to tend to him.  But Samantha's hyperventilating from shotgun brought her back to earth.  She glided the car into the airport's valet parking, and got out.  Samantha quickly followed.
    
    Samantha and Sydney grabbed their suitcases from the trunk of the car and handed the keys to the valet.  Samantha took one last look at the parking lot of the airport.  "This could very well be the last time I see this place."  She whispered aloud to herself before turning to follow Sydney.
    
    Sydney was right about the gum.  It did help Samantha get in the right attitude.  And Sydney did a good job acting like the big sister.  As they stood in line, Sydney kept watching the doors for Vaughn or Weiss, or Sark and his men. 
    
    "Looking for someone?"  Samantha teased, getting into her character.
    
    "I can't find George or John."
    
    Samantha shook her head.  "I'm sure they're all right."  She put a comforting hand on Sydney's shoulder, and smiled.  Sydney weakly smiled back.  Sydney watched the doors until the plane's door was shut.  Sydney closed her eyes and attempted to sleep.  But that sleep wouldn't come. 
    
    Samantha however hated flying. She had only done it once before, and that was with her best friends when they went on a band trip to Chicago.  She dug her fingernails into the seat chair next to her.  The roar of the engines firing up made her scream.
    
    Sydney jumped at Samantha's frightened scream.  "Are you ok Lauren?"  She tenderly asked.
    
    Samantha nodded.  "I don't know."  She started breathing heavily.  "Those engines sounded just like, just like."
    
    Sydney knew where Samantha was trying to go with it, so she just smiled.  "I understand.  Try these, and get some sleep."  Sydney handed Samantha a pair of headphones.
    
    At the suggestion of sleep, Samantha glared at Sydney.  "Sleep? Are you kidding me?"
    
    "No, I'm not kidding.  You need to sleep.  And if you won't sleep, then just close your eyes and for my sake pretend like you're sleeping.  But whatever you do, don't think about it."
    
    "I can't not think about it."  She whispered.
    
    "Think about what you liked to do before it happened."
    
    "I loved going to the mall with Cher and Caitlin, and Carly, and Tim, and Josh, and Peter, and Karen, and Jo and Joe, and Cher.  But Cher, Caitlin, and Carly are all dead."
    
    "Alright, what'd you do without your friends?"
    
    Samantha thought for a minute.  "Nothing. Cher was always there."
    
    Sydney understood.  She and Francie were that inseparable at one point.  She reached into her purse, and pulled out a pen.  She then reached into her backpack, and pulled out a pad of blank paper.  "Here.  Draw, write, whatever."
    
    "Are you trying to make me express my feelings?"
    
    Sydney shook her head.  "No.  I want you to try to forget about it until we get you to LA."
    
    Samantha smiled, took the pen and paper from Sydney, and began to mindlessly draw doodles on the paper.  Sydney on the other hand, no matter how much she tried to compartmentalize the single shot she heard, she couldn't.  She watched the onboard movie that they played, but she wouldn't have been able to tell anyone who the characters were, what the movie was about, or even what the title of the movie was even five minutes later.

A car picked Sydney and Samantha up from LAX and drove them both to the JTF.  Sydney jumped out of the car and went running to her father. "Dad!"  She called out.  "Have you had any communications from Vaughn or Weiss?"

Jack looked up from his pile of papers.  "No.  We've had no communications with them since you arrived at the safe house."

Sydney held her breath.  "You mean that they're still there?"

"We sent a team in the second you called.  They said that the place was empty."
    
    *             *             *             *             *


	26. Cold Hard Truth

*             *             *             *             *
    
    Sydney swore her heart stopped beating.  Vaughn wasn't at the safe house.  "And you've had no communications from him?"
    
    Jack shook his head.  "No, I'm sorry sweetie."
    
    "I want to be put on the team."
    
    "The team has come and gone."
    
    "What about the team that is looking for them!  Where's the team that's looking for Vaughn and Weiss!" She yelled.
    
    "Sydney, you know the policy."
    
    "Dad, I heard a gun shot.  We can't wait around 24 hours before we determine if we're even going to look for them!  We need to look now."
    
    "Go home Sydney.  There's nothing left here that you can do."
    
    "THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"
    
    Jack spun around and looked at his daughter in the eye.  "Sydney, even if there was a team we could send right now, I would not put you on the team.  When Vaughn is concerned, you don't think clearly enough to be on the team."
    
    "Dad." Sydney pleaded.  "I have to go."
    
    "That's an order Sydney.  Go home."
    
    "What about Samantha?"
    
    "She's in good hands."  Jack said, indicating Samantha being escorted to medical services.  "They're going to keep her here for a couple more days for observation. She'll have better care here than she did back in Hillside."
    
    "She doesn't sleep."  Sydney said, trying to do anything to get Vaughn off her mind for even a minute. "She should see Barnett."
    
    "Alright.  I'll make sure that Barnett can squeeze her in tomorrow."
    
    "Today.  Sam has been through a lot in the last two weeks.  First the shooting, then her mother trying to kill her, and now today.  She needs to see Barnett now."
    
    Jack nodded.  "I understand.  Sydney, go home.  As your father, I'm telling you to go home. As your superior, I'm ordering to go home."
    
    "I'll just take my worry home with me."
    
    Jack glared at Sydney, with one of his famous do-as-I-tell-you stares.  Sydney, like a wounded puppy left.  But instead of heading out to her car like she was ordered, Sydney went to sit at her desk.  She turned on her computer and attempted to login.  Every time she tried to login, the login was being denied.  Frustrated, she marched into Marshall's office.  "Marshall, the network won't let me log in." She complained.
    
    "Candy?"  Marshall asked, guiltily holding up a jar of lollipops.
    
    "No.  I need to get onto my computer."
    
    "I'm sorry Sydney.  Your father ordered me to keep you out of the network, and I was all like "Why Mr. Bristow?"  And he just grunted something about orders.  He does that a lot.  Grunt I mean.  Your father tends to grunt a lot.  Not, not that it's bad or anything.  It's just a lot of grunting.  So I did it, because he threatened me if I didn't block you out of the system.  Are you in some kind of trouble?"
    
    "No.  I'm not in trouble.  My father is trying to get me to go home. Is there anyway you can get me back on to the system?"
    
    Marshall scrunched up his face.  "Your father said you might ask to be allowed back on.  I can't Sydney."
    
    Sydney sighed, and exited the office.  She took three steps before turning around again.  "Do you have the alias for Samantha Daily?"
    
    Marshall put down the lollipop he was opening and ran to a stack of papers.  He pulled out a thick file and handed it to Sydney.  "I think with this one, I out did myself this time.  I really do."
    
    "Thanks Marshall."
    
    Sydney smiled and left to visit Samantha in the hospital wing.
    
    *             *             *             *             *


	27. Solving Sleep

*             *             *             *             *
    
    Samantha watched from a distance as Sydney argued with her father.  She wasn't sure how closely she should follow Sydney, but Samantha figured that she should let Sydney have some space. She found a clear spot on the wall and leaned against it, waiting for Sydney to give her something to do, or someplace to go. Unsure of what else to do Samantha looked around the busy room.  Everywhere people were running around like chickens with their heads cut off.  Phones were busily ringing, and there was a line behind almost every single printer.  "So this is how the CIA operates.  Chaos."  She observed to herself.  Samantha watched the spectacle with a small smile.  
    
    She found Sydney's courage to stand up to father like that, screaming at him amazing.   She hadn't known Sydney or Vaughn for very long, but there was something that she could tell with in an instant of meeting them.  They loved each other more deeply than she could ever comprehend.  The way that Vaughn seemed to smile the minute Sydney walked into a room. And Sydney was no different. She too was the same way.  Samantha watched Sydney as she battled with her father (which according to a few stories she had heard was not an easy man to battle with) because she loved Vaughn.
    
    She felt a small tap on her shoulder, and turned hoping to see Vaughn or Weiss.  She was just as worried about them as Sydney was.  Instead she found a taller man, standing in a lab coat.  "Excuse me, are you Samantha Daily?"  Shyly, Samantha nodded.  "I am Dr. Morgan.  Could you come with me?"
    
    "But Sydney," Samantha protested.
    
    "Agent Bristow asked that you be immediately taken to the hospital wing."
    
    "Why would she do that?"   Samantha asked, following Dr. Morgan, and leaving the busy room, and going down the silent hallway.
    
    "Not Sydney.  Jack."
    
    Samantha was slightly surprised at the fact that Jack had ordered her to the hospital wing.  Dr. Morgan showed Samantha to a bed.  He pulled a chart.  "We got your chart sent over from Hillside hospital."  He said, glancing over it.  "And it looks like they were doing a pretty good job."
    
    "Sure."  Samantha grumbled.
    
    "Looks like they didn't give you a morning dose of your Wellbutrin."
    
    "Wait, is that the stuff that makes me go to sleep, or the anti-depressants?"
    
    "Those are the anti-depressants."
    
    Samantha thought for a moment.  "Alright."
    
    "We should be around in an hour or so with the sleeping pills."
    
    "No!" Samantha said, quickly scrambling out of bed.  "You can't make me go to sleep."
    
    "Ms. Daily.  According to your short psyche profile, you haven't slept in weeks."  Samantha had nothing that would prove the doctor wrong.  It was true; she hadn't slept since the shooting.  And no one could really blame her for not doing so.
    
    "Sydney signed something last night, the nurses couldn't give me anything to make me go to sleep."
    
    "I'm afraid that Agent Bristow doesn't have that kind of power here anymore."
    
    "Please! You can't let me go to sleep!"  Samantha begged.  
    
    Dr. Morgan laughed.  "Of course not now.  We have to examine you first.  Let's see your throat.  Does that hurt?"
    
    Samantha opened her mouth willingly, and let the doctor take a look at it.  "Like someone took a saw and scrapped it up and down the sides."
    
    He gave a laugh.  "That's understandable.  Let me go get your Wellbutrin, and then we'll continue.  I'll also grab something that will make your throat heal faster."
    
    Samantha nodded, and was suddenly feeling alone again.  It seemed to be the theme of the month.  Leave Samantha.  First it was her friends, then her 'parents', then her Aunt Irina, and then Sydney.  And now, even though she had no attachment to the doctor, the doctor left her.  Samantha pulled her knees close to her chest and found a spot on the wall.  She didn't even move when the door opened.
    
    Dr. Barnett saw Samantha huddled on her bed.  She carefully approached her, and sat down in the chair.  "Samantha?"  She gently said.
    
    "Yeah?"  Samantha said, still staring at her spot on the wall.
    
    "My name is Dr. Barnett.  I'm here to help you sleep."
    
    "I don't want to."
    
    "And why is that?"
    
    Samantha said nothing.  Dr. Barnett had read the short profile that the Hillside Hospital had sent over, and let Samantha just sit there.  Samantha barely moved.  The room had a deafening silence to it, as the two sat in silence.  Dr. Barnett didn't want to push the fragile girl to talk, and Samantha had nothing to say.  "Do you know what its like to feel your best friend's blood on your back, and because you know that their blood is your fault, that feeling won't go away? No matter how hard you scrub, or no matter how many times you burn the same shirt over and over again?"
    
    Dr. Barnett knew she had to tell the truth.  "I honestly can't say I have."
    
    Samantha turned her head ever so slightly.  The first move she had made in over 10 minutes.  "Then there's no way you can help me.  Besides, I don't need to talk to a shrink.  I don't want to.  I don't want to go to sleep. I don't want to go to that place."
    
    "I'm afraid I don't follow."
    
    "Do you realize that every time I close my eyes, I'm there? I'm sitting in my desk getting ready for the biggest test I will ever take my senior year.  I'm sitting next to Cher, who's complaining about not reading _King Lear_.  I'm huddled in the masses.  I'm hearing the gun hit Mr. Steven. I can still hear the sound he made as he fell to the ground.  I feel the warmth of Caitlin's shattered brains hit my face.  I feel the burning of Cher's blood as it stains my shirt, my skin, and my soul.  I smell the burnt flesh of where the bullet sped past Josh's arms so quickly that it burned the skin.  Every time I close my eyes, I am there.  That's why I can't go to sleep ever."
    
    Dr. Barnett closed her notebook.  "I think we're getting someplace.  I think Sydney is outside the door waiting for you." She said, before standing up.  
    
    "Can you write the order to make sure I don't sleep?"  Samantha asked.
    
    "I'm sorry Samantha, I don't have that kind of power either.  I'll see you tomorrow."  Dr. Barnett said before leaving.
    
    *             *             *             *             *


End file.
